gain the confidence of the merchant, even of the _patil_ of the village
where he would rest for a night.

They would send spies into Poona to obtain knowledge of the jewel
merchant's movements. The spies, two men who were happy in the art of
ingratiating themselves into the good graces of prospective victims,
would attach themselves to the merchant's party, and at night slip away
and join the robber band so that they might judge where he would camp
next night; at some village that would be a day's march.

When questioned, the _yogi_ told them where they would find the
merchant; he was stopping with a friend in Poona. So the two set off,
and the Bagrees prepared for their journey.

For the ordeal a cannon ball was needed and a blacksmith to heat it.
And as Hunsa had been the father of the scheme, Sookdee declared that
he must procure these from the Mahratta camp.

Hunsa agreed to this.

The Bagrees were encamped to one side of the Mahratta troops in a small
jungle of _dhak_ and slim-growing bamboos that afforded them privacy.

In negotiating for the loan of a blacksmith Hunsa had impressed upon a
sergeant his sincerity by the gift of two rupees; and two rupees more
to the blacksmith made it certain that the heating of the cannon ball
would not make the test unfair to Hunsa.

A peacock perched high in the feathery top of a giant _sal_ tree was
crying "miaow, miaow!" to the dipping sun when, in the centre of the